How not to die of cardiovascular diseases

World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April and highlights a priority area of
public health concern in the world. The theme for 2013 is high blood
pressure. One in three adults are known to have high blood pressure, are
you one of them?
Many people do not know they have high blood pressure because it does not
always cause noticeable symptoms. As a result, the silent condition
contributes to more than 9 million deaths every year, including about half
of all deaths due to heart disease and stroke.
The rates increase with age, from 1 in 10 people in their 20s and 30s to 5
in 10 people in their 50s. The prevalence of high blood pressure is the
highest among the African decent, with over 40 percent of adults thought to
be affected. However, raised blood pressure is among many factors that
contribute to cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have a broad meaning. It's not a single
condition or disorder in itself. Rather, it's a collection of diseases and
conditions. In fact, some types of cardiovascular disease can cause other
types of cardiovascular disease. It’s normally seen as chain reaction.
CVDs are the number one cause of death globally: more people die from CVDs
than from any other cause. An estimated 17.3 million people died from CVDs
in 2008, representing 30 percent of all global deaths. Of these deaths, an
estimated 7.3 million were due to heart disease and 6.2 million were due to
stroke.
Over 80 percent of CVD deaths take place in low- and middle-income
countries and occur almost equally between men and women. The number of
people who die from CVDs, mainly from heart disease and stroke, is
projected to increase to 23.3 million by 2030.
Addressing risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and obesity,
physical inactivity, high blood pressure, diabetes and raised cholesterol
can prevent the most common causes of cardiovascular disease.
*Preventing heart attack and stroke*
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a disease of the arteries that supply the
heart muscle with blood. CAD means that blood flow through the arteries has
become impaired and is no longer reaching the muscle. The most common way
that an obstruction develops is through a condition called atherosclerosis,
a largely preventable form of cardiovascular disease.
Cerebrovascular disease occurs when obstruction occurs in the blood vessels
that supply the brain with oxygen. Strokes can occur due to bleeding from a
blood vessel in the brain or from blood clots that obstruct the flow of
blood. The most common obstruction is a build-up of fatty deposits on the
inner walls of the blood vessels that supply the brain.
*Not all heart disease preventable*
Although one may hear a lot about preventing cardiovascular disease,
sometimes they’re not preventable as well. That's because some types of
cardiovascular disease are congenital or one is born with them. Congenital
heart diseases are faults in the structure of the heart that exist from
early development.
Rheumatic heart disease is a condition that impacts a lot of children.
It’s known to cause damage to the heart muscle and valves. The condition
is caused by bacteria that can produce what’s called rheumatic fever. Once
rheumatic valve disease begins, it tends to progressively worsen over time.
Repeated episodes of rheumatic fever can accelerate the deterioration of
the heart valves.
Rheumatic heart disease ends up affecting about half the people who have
rheumatic fever with carditis or inflammation of the heart. Most of the
time, rheumatic heart disease is diagnosed 10 to 20 years after being
triggered by acute rheumatic fever.
*The silent killer *
Often, there are no symptoms of the underlying disease of the blood
vessels. A heart attack or stroke may be the first warning of an underlying
problem. The symptoms of a heart attack often include pain and discomfort
directly over one’s heart or in the center of the chest.
Symptoms can often be confusing and one of the most common areas of pain is
in the arms, the left shoulder, elbows, jaw or back. In addition a person
may experience difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath,
light-headedness, cold sweats, nausea and vomiting. Men are more likely to
experience chest pain while women often demonstrate shortness of breath,
nausea, vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
The chance of having a stroke approximately doubles for each decade after
age 55. While strokes are common among the elderly, a lot of people under
65 also have strokes. One’s risk of stroke is greater if a parent,
grandparent, sister or brother has had a stroke.
The most common symptom of a stroke is sudden weakness in one’s face, arm,
or leg. Symptoms are most often seen on one side of the body. One can
experience visual changes, dizziness, loss of balance and confusion as
well. A stroke victim often characterizes having the worst headache of
their life with no known cause.
*Choices more important than genetics*
Behavioral risk factors are responsible for about 80 percent of heart
disease and cerebrovascular disease. Ceasing tobacco use, reducing salt in
the diet, consuming fruits and vegetables, maintaining a healthy body
weight, engaging in regular physical activity and avoiding harmful use of
alcohol have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The effects of unhealthy diet and physical inactivity may show up in
individuals as raised blood pressure, raised blood sugar, raised
cholesterol, and overweight and obesity. This is the mechanism that
cardiovascular disease can produce other cardiovascular disease.
It’s important to be physically active every day. Research has shown that
getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity on 5 or more days of the
week can help lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and keep one’s weight
at a healthy level.
Something is always better than nothing. If you're doing nothing now, start
out slow. Even 10 minutes at a time can offer health benefits. Studies show
that people who have achieved even a moderate level of fitness are much
less likely to die early than those with low levels.
Control one’s dietary portion size. How much one eats is just as important
as what you eat. Overloading the plate, taking seconds and eating until one
feels stuffed can lead to eating more calories, fat and cholesterol than is
recommended.
Eat more of low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits and
vegetables, and less high-calorie, high-sodium foods, such as refined,
processed or takeaway foods. Eating this way can shape up one’s heart and
waistline.
Fruits and vegetables are also a good source of vitamins, minerals and
dietary fiber. Vegetables and fruits contain substances found in plants
that are known to help prevent cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure
and inflammation. Eating more fruits and vegetables is also one of the best
ways to reduce high-fat foods such as processed meats, crisps and other
junk foods.
Dr Cory Couillard is an international healthcare speaker and columnist for
numerous newspapers, magazines, websites and publications throughout the
world. He works in collaboration with the World Health Organization's goals
of disease prevention and global healthcare education. Views do not
necessarily reflect endorsement.
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Dr Cory Couillard
Twitter: DrCoryCouillard

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